At a Glance

From the limestone islands of Halong Bay to the artistic heritage of Hanoi, discover the beauty of Northern Vietnam.

Activity Level

Keep the Pace

Walking up to one mile, sometimes along unpaved lanes; some uneven stone stairs.

Program Extension

Since you’re already traveling to your program, why not arrive a little earlier or stay a little longer to dig deeper or explore a new place or topic? Before you enroll in an extension, be sure you are enrolled in the main program first.

Best of all, you'll ...

Explore Hanoi City with a local expert and discover the historic Ba Dinh Square.

Learn about the geology of the jaw-dropping Halong Bay, a glorious UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Enjoy a traditional water puppet show depicting scenes from rural Vietnamese life.

General Notes

This program may only be taken as an extension of "On Foot and on River: A Walk-and-Barge Adventure in Vietnam and Cambodia" (#21776).

Suggested Reading List

View 19 books

Eating Viet Nam, Dispatches from a Blue Plastic Table

by Anthony Bourdain (Foreword), Graham Holliday

While living in Vietnam, native Englishman Holliday penned this gastronomic adventure which takes him from fancy dining tables to streetside vendors and everywhere in between. A genuine adventure through Vietnamese cuisine.

The Quiet American

by Graham Greene

A classic, this is the most famous Western work of fiction on Vietnam. Greene writes of a love triangle between a war correspondent, his Vietnamese consort and an optimistic young American during the last days of French rule.

Paradise of the Blind

by Duong Thu Huong

Duong Thu Huong's popular novel captures the live of three women in an extended family -- and the struggle for economic well being in the throes of failed land reform in the 1980s.

The Sorrow of War, A Novel of North Vietnam

by Bao Ninh

A powerful novel by a former North Vietnamese soldier, this short book captures the appalling conditions of war, alternating vivid scenes from the front lines with flashbacks from the protagonist's rural youth.

Descending Dragon, Rising Tiger, A History of Vietnam

by Peter D. Sharrock, Vu Hong Lien

This first English-language account of Vietnam’s often neglected, understudied history takes us through 10,000 years of outsiders, invaders and technological innovation.

Buddhism, A Very Short Introduction

by Damien Keown

One of a series of very brief, authoritative introductions by Oxford University Press with chapters on the Buddha, Karma, the Mahayana, Buddhism in Asia, Buddhist practices and ethics.

Understanding Vietnam

by Neil Jamieson

Jamieson's ambitious primer addresses politics, social history, village life, structural renewal, literature and the arts, illuminating the Vietnamese worldview with insight and depth. It's a terrific introduction to Vietnam.

Vietnam, A Traveler's Literary Companion

by John Balaban, Nguyen Qui Duc

From rainforest to city, these 17 stories from Vietnam's finest writers explore its landscapes, myths and changing traditions.

Vietnam North Adventure Map

by National Geographic Maps

This haddy map extends coverage south to Hue.

Shadows and Wind

by Robert Templer

A British journalist based in Vietnam, Templer cuts through myth and legend to offer a lively, opinionated portrait of contemporary Vietnam.

The Foundations of Buddhism

by Rupert Gethin

A lively, authoritative survey of the origins, common ideas and heritage of Buddhism.

Fire in the Lake

by Frances FitzGerald

A classic historical, political and cultural portrait of the Vietnam War, seen through the eyes of the Vietnamese. Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, FitzGerald, a staff writer at the New Yorker and a reporter in Vietnam, presents a vivid image of a revolution and a clear-sighted case for why the U.S offensive was doomed from the start.

Ho

by David Halberstam

The historian explores the life and times of Ho Chi Minh and his fight for Vietnamese independence in this brief sketch, originally published in 1987.

Communion, A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam

by Kim Fay

Fay recounts in savory detail a five-week journey with two friends from Hanoi to Saigon in search of the traditions, rituals and pleasures of food from local markets and street foods to haute cuisine.

Moon Vietnam

by Dana Filek-gibson

A practical guide in the Moon series, packed not only with travel necessities (hotels, restaurants, sights), but also with a good overview of history and destinations throughout Veitnam.

The Eaves of Heaven, A Life in Three Wars

by Andrew X. Pham

Pham recounts the story of his father's life during the French occupation, Japanese invasion and the American War, weaving such momentous events with anecdotes from his childhood and details of family, friends, food and daily life.

Vietnam Journeys

by Charles Fields

Photographer and traveler Charles Fields portrays the cultures and landscapes of Vietnam from the World Heritage Site of Hue and the Phung Hiep floating market to its forests and coastline in stunning color photographs.

Embers of War, The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America's Vietnam

by Fredrik Logevall

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, this bold history traces the four-decade build-up to the Vietnam War as the French disengaged from the country and American forces were deployed in full.

The Sacred Willow, Four Generations in the Life of a Vietnamese Family

by Duong Van Mai Elliott

This vivid family saga, beginning with the author's great-grandfather, captures the momentous history of Vietnam over the last 100 years.

Activity note: You are flying from Ho Chi Minh/Saigon on this day. You will receive your ticket while in Saigon from our local coordinator. The transfer from Hanoi Airport to the program hotel is approx. 1 hour

Afternoon: Transfer to program hotel and check in. Our Group Leader will greet everyone and go over the orientation for this program. Our introduction to Hanoi is a cyclo excursion around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake. The cyclo is a bicycle rickshaw where you ride in the front seat as the driver pedals from behind, freeing you to experience the hustle and bustle of life through all your senses without having to worry about where you are walking. We will then see a “Mua Roi Nuoc” performance -- a water puppet show. Water puppetry is performed in a pool, depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history. This uniquely northern Vietnamese art form is a centuries old variation on ancient Asian puppet traditions. Puppets would be put out to watch over crops, and when fields flooded, villagers would entertain themselves with the puppets.

Dinner: "Welcome Dinner" at a local restaurant. Enjoy a meal featuring Vietnamese cuisine with appetizer, choice of entrée, and dessert.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY

2

Transfer to Halong Bay, Cruise Halong Bay

Halong Bay

B,L,D

Bai Tho Junks

Activity note: The transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay via motor coach is approximately 3 hours.

Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we board our motorcoach and transfer to Halong Bay. En route, enjoy a journey through rich farmlands of the Red River Delta and the scenery of rice fields, water buffalo and everyday Vietnamese village life. Then, board a Vietnamese Junk. Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is part of the Gulf of Tonkin in northeast Vietnam, renowned for its extraordinary natural beauty. The action of waves and tides over millions of years have shaped more than 1,600 limestone islands and islets into dramatic shapes, most uninhabited and unaffected by human presence, that form a spectacular seascape of gigantic pillars. It is also a place of exceptional biodiversity. Research has shown that the area was inhabited tens of thousands of years ago. In 2012, Ha Long Bay was named one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World.

Afternoon: Ha Long Bay includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars, most uninhabited and unaffected by human presence. During our study cruise, we will visit one or more of the islands with amazing cave grottos. The captain will decide depending on local conditions at the time. It might be Bo Nau Cave (Pelican Cave); Dau Go (Wooden Head Island); Surprise Cave (Cave of Unfathomable Depth); or Thien Cung Cave (Heavenly Palace Cave).

Morning: We continue cruising along beautiful Halong Bay, then disembark and return to Hanoi via motorcoach.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, enjoy a traditional Vietnamese “pho” lunch of noodles, vegetables, and (optional) meat in tasty broth.

Afternoon: We reboard our motorcoach for a field trip to the Vietnamese Women’s Museum where we will learn about traditional culture, marriage customs, and family life. The remainder of the afternoon is free. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY

4

Ba Ðình Square, Temple of Literature

Hanoi

B,L,D

Anise Hotel

Breakfast: At the hotel, the extensive breakfast buffet offers a variety of Asian and Western choices such as hot foods, eggs, hot and cold cereals, fruit, breads and pastries, yogurt, milk, coffee, tea, water.

Morning: Our first field trip this morning takes us to Ba Ðình Square, named for the anti-French colonial uprising of 1886-1887. It was here on September 2, 1945, that Ho Chí Minh proclaimed Vietnamese independence from France, from Japanese occupation, and from the last emperor, Bao Ðai. A massive granite mausoleum dominates the scene where Ho’s embalmed body is on display. The Soviet-style structure stands in stark contrast to the simplicity of the modest house on stilts where Ho lived. We will also visit the reconstructed One Pillar Pagoda. The original was built in 1049 C.E. by Emperor Ly Thai Tong to celebrate the birth of a son. Our exploration continues at the Temple of Literature, only a few years younger than Hanoi itself. This, the country’s oldest monument to education, is one of the world’s earliest universities. Dedicated to Confucius in 1070, it initially accepted only children of the nobility, but by 1442 embraced gifted students from throughout the country. The preserved and reconstructed buildings are a rare example of traditional Vietnamese architecture. Its lovely courtyards, trees, gardens, and paths provide a tranquil glimpse into the past.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, enjoy characteristic Vietnamese cuisine with appetizer, choice of entrée, and dessert.

Afternoon: Free afternoon to explore on our own.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, enjoy more of the flavor of Vietnam with appetizer, choice of entrée, and dessert.

Evening: At leisure. Get a good night’s sleep and prepare for departures in the morning.

DAY

5

Program Concludes

In Flight

B

Breakfast: At the hotel. This concludes our program.

Morning: Transfer to the airport for your return flights. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please be in touch via the Road Scholar Social Network, where you can share memories, pictures, and comments. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Meals

10 Meals

4 Breakfasts

3 Lunches

3 Dinners

The following choices may be available when requested in advance: Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Low Salt, Low Fat

Lodging

Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.

A truly discrete three-star boutique style hotel in the very heart of the commercial and diplomatic center of Hanoi. The hotel décor is contemporary Asian in style with neutral tones and tasteful fabrics throughout. 42 rooms and suites. Situated on Quan Thanh street, face to the Hang Dau park, in walking distance to Sword Lake, assures access to the Old Quarter and numerous surrounding Government offices. Anise Hotel offers a very comfortable stay for both business and leisure guests.

Bai Tho Junks are based in Ha Long Bay and are one of the premier luxury barges that operate sightseeing in this area. The luxury barge offers double or twin bedded cabins, an indoor restaurant serving excellent cuisine with fresh seafood, and an attentive and professional staff on board. Junk boats are ancient Chinese sailing ships (from 2nd century AD) that are still in use today. Historically, they were used for extensive ocean voyages and are still used today for luxury barges and recreational junk-rigged sailboats.